O ensino do cálculo diferencial no curso de Licenciatura Plena em Ciências da Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana: uma análise histórica nos anos de 1978 e 1986

Abstract

This study aimed to characterize, from a historical perspective, the differential calculus taught in the education of students enrolled in the Full Licensure Degree in Sciences with a qualification in Mathematics at the State University of Feira de Santana in 1978 and 1986. These two institutional moments are significant in the trajectory of this degree. The first marks the initial offering of the course Calculus I. The second corresponds to the final year of the Full Licensure Degree in Sciences before the curricular reorganization that led to the creation of the Licensure Degree in Mathematics in the 1987 academic year. Within this context, the study sought to answer the following guiding question: what form of differential calculus was taught in the Calculus I course of the Full Licensure Degree in Sciences at UEFS, in 1978 and 1986? This research drew upon the theoretical and methodological debates of Cultural History (Chartier, 1988) and the concept of mathematics of teaching. It also mobilized the notions of mathematics to teach and mathematics for teaching, as formulated by Bertini, Morais, and Valente (2017). In addition, the study relied on recent literature and on the analysis of documentary sources, especially course notebooks and interviews conducted with two former female students of the Full Licensure Degree in Sciences with a qualification in Mathematics. The findings indicate that the teaching of differential calculus at UEFS in 1978 and 1986 consolidated a university culture centered on mathematics to teach. This perspective prioritized academic mathematical knowledge and resulted in forms of knowledge disconnected from the specific demands of mathematics for teaching.